Volunteer Appreciation 

Volunteer Appreciation Dinner 2023

The year 2023 saw the much-awaited return of ECCCM’s annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner and Awards Ceremony after several years of cancellation due to COVID. Our event was held at First Presbyterian Church and decorated with a red, white, and blue theme.  For the meal, we had an old-fashioned cookout, serving delicious hamburgers and hot dogs and topping everything off with ice cream for dessert. Terry Kuchenbecker from Concordia Lutheran Church grilled for us. Thank you, Terry!  

After the meal, our Executive Director Kristal Manning delivered some information on the true value of volunteering to ECCCM. Then Allen and Cailee presented our fun version of volunteer awards. Allen cracked his jokes. Cailee spread some cheer. And lots of smiles were had throughout the awards. To close the ceremony, Allen presented the Charlie Bunn Volunteer of the Year Award to a very worthy Brooks Nichols. Brooks is 94 years young and works like a young man! We love you, Brooks! Mr. Nichols closed the evening with a short acceptance speech where he spoke humbly about our Christian duty to volunteer and the delight he feels while serving at ECCCM. Everyone left with a full feeling in their bellies, and a sense of joy and pride in their hearts for the service they give this community. 

At ECCCM we value our volunteers greatly and know that we could not accomplish our mission without this tremendous amount of help. So, we sincerely thank you all! If you would like to join our team of volunteers, please contact Allen at a.sherrill@ecccm.org to work in the food pantry, or Cailee at c.swallow@ecccm.org to volunteer in our thrift store! We would love to have you join us! 

Enjoy our 2023 Volunteer Appreciation Dinner Photos

Volunteer Appreciation 2022

Due to the continued seriousness of covid-19, we were not able to have our annual volunteer appreciation dinner for the 2nd year in a row. In its place for 2022, we celebrated our volunteers on various days with small-scaled events including “volunteer Olympics” with choice of breakfast or lunch, and an olympic awards ceremony at which we also presented our annual volunteer superlatives. please enjoy the slideshow of our 2022 winners! All of our volunteers are awarded our immeasurable love and appreciation!

Charlie Bunn Service Award

The annual Charlie Bunn Service Award is awarded to an outstanding volunteer who models the volunteer ethic, ethos and spirit exemplified by Charlie Bunn over the many years and countless hours he volunteered and worked side-by-side with others at Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, Inc.

Volunteers are nominated by open nominations via an official ECCCM Charlie Bunn Volunteer Service Award nomination form. A selection committee comprised of volunteers and ECCCM staff members reviews all nominations and is responsible for the selection of the annual recipient, who will be honored at the annual volunteer appreciation dinner. The family of Charlie Bunn will make a donation to ECCCM in honor of the annual recipient.

The criteria that will determine the recipient of the annual ECCCM Charlie Bunn Volunteer Service Award will be comprised of the following attributes.

1. Demonstration of passion and dedication to ECCCM.
2. Contributions to ECCCM’s mission, putting ECCCM first.
3. Commitment, dependability and conscientiousness.
4. Leadership abilities and knowledge of operations, regulations and priorities.
5. Strong work ethic, selfless service, volunteer ethos, spirit of cooperation and charity.
6. Logic and thinking for organizational skills in food pantry/warehouse area.
7. Demonstration of innovations, initiatives, ideas, vision, team player.
8. Evidence of giving back to the community through volunteering at ECCCM.

CHARLIE BUNN SERVICE AWARD WINNERS